1 up front doesn't work.

0-0 at half time against Swansea and I guarantee some of the boo boys will be out to play.

 

That's true, but last season the opposing defenders had Igloo or Vyds to watch out for too. Now they can concentrate on closing down Troy.

 

You may be right and I hope you are, but it's disappointing that we're building a team from scratch when we very probably don't have to. if we'd introduced these superstars who aren't match fit more gradually, we'd have picked up more points from these relatively easy home matches than we did. We may well regret those four points dropped at home so far.The table may look fine now, but when we've lost to Man City and lost or drawn with Swansea (which would have happened even with my preferred team and formation) it won't look so good.

 

I'd have to watch it back but at the time of one of the blocks I'm sure Iggy was in the pen area with 2 defenders on him

 

I think if we didn't have the new players playing as they have been then them games wouldn't have looked "relatively easy". We could have easily been in a position with 0 points frustrated with our performances, even if we had scored 5 goals in the process.

Points are the objective, in the intermediate stage of building a system you may have to focus on one aspect first, solidity gets you points. Regardless of if we kept the same team and system as last year there would still be work to do, there always will be.

 

How could you possibly know that?

 

Did anyone notice how average Southampton seemed as an attacking force when playing us with just Pelle up front?

And did you then see them play the dreaded 4231 today? I know playing against 10 men will have helped, but for me Tadic and Mane as the two wide attacking mids made such a difference - and they looked dangerous all game, despite the formation..

 

Watch MoTD2 to seeSwansea play 4-2-3-1, with the 3 really flexible and supporting the lone striker. The system works with the right players

 

Gomis is perfect for the system. A monster physically, quick and great movement. Troy has a lot to learn but he'll get there.